Interpol has set up a special unit at its headquarters in France to coordinate efforts against terrorism in the wake of the attacks in the United States, Interpol chief Ronald Noble said Monday.

The unit will be called the "September 11 task force," after the date of the deadly terrorist strikes on the New York World Trade Center and the Pentagon, he said.

"It was created in order to make sure that we facilitate the flow of information worldwide," Noble told a press conference at the opening here of the annual general assembly of the international police organization.

The task force is to speed up the exchange of information among Interpol headquarters, its local and regional bureaus and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, he said.

Noble hailed the "great role" played by Interpol countries such as Britain, Germany and Italy "in helping the US to work out and work through investigative leads of information."

An anticipated 700-800 representatives from 177 member states were attending the week-long general assembly behind closed doors in Budapest.

According to French police sources, Noble, from the United States, had said ahead of the assembly that he wanted it to focus on security and other measures linked to terrorism.

He was reportedly to be preparing a resolution of support for the United States in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

On Sunday, an Interpol statement said the meeting would discuss "the fight against terrorism, Yugoslavia's joining Interpol, a global assessment of crime, security measures linked to the introduction of the euro and trafficking in refugees -- BUDAPEST (AFP)